“Mid-engined Porsche racing cars are the best”, so said Matt Bird after his maiden win in the Porsche Classic Restoracing series last year. It was weeks before he’d stop banging on about Boxster this and flat-six that – leaving everyone else in the office ten times more jealous than we already were. Matt’s not competing in a Porsche this year but were he endowed with a spare £30k in his back pocket, be in no doubt that it would be spent on today’s Spotted: a racing version of his old car’s sister model, the 987 Cayman, re-built to very high spec by Specialist Vehicle Preparations.
It’s a proper racing car, clearly - although it retains road-legal eligibility so there's not much to stop you from blatting round the countryside in it if you wish. Wherever its next custodian takes it, the upgrades ought to make it supremely capable and fast – while looking absolutely gorgeous from all angles. The engine itself is a highlight, it being a Parr Porsche-supplied 3.7-litre upgrade from the standard 3.4, taking power to 370hp. The motor’s not far off brand new, having only been used for eight hours since installation, backing claims that this really is a turn-key racer ready to rock and roll.
The more potent motor uses an Accusump, which for those who don’t know is an accumulator used on racing cars that don’t have a dry sump, and drives the rears as standard through a six-speed manual gearbox. The oily bits are located behind a lighter-than-standard tailgate, made from carbonfibre reinforced polymer; all of the car’s glass barring the windscreen has been replaced with mass-cutting P4P Lexan, too. Couple that to the weight saved achieved by removing most of the interior, and you can bet Matt Bird’s trophy cabinet on this Cayman being a fair bit lighter than the 1.3 tonnes a normal 987 weighs.
Working in tandem with a set of Team Dynamics rims are adjustable Nitron R1 Dampers, renowned in the industry for their high performance on and off-track. Expect superb body control, alongside the glued-down performance of a set of semi-slicks, as worn by this car on its recent test and race days. The transformation is completed with other track additions; the FIA-mandated roll-cage, bucket seat and harnesses, as well as a fire extinguisher system, bonnet catches and absolutely necessary flashes of orange against the car’s blue paintwork.
The specs have us drooling, as does the all-round condition – it would seem almost as much thought has gone into how the car looks as it did the technical details. Perhaps we've been playing too much Forza Horizon 4, but the idea of taking it on the public highway is hugely appealing, even it is plainly intended for circuit use – in series like the Classic Sport Car Club, New Millennium, Open & Slicks and similar. £30k is three-times more than you’d pay for a normal Cayman of this age, but this is not just any old 987. It’s a track thoroughbred that looks the absolute nuts. That combination is very easy to fall for. Just ask Matt Bird.
SPECIFICATIONS | PORSCHE CAYMAN S (987)
Engine: 3,700cc, flat-six (engine replacement)
Transmission: 6-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
Power (hp): 370hp
Torque (lb ft): N/A
MPG: N/A
CO2: N/A
First registered: 2007
Recorded mileage: TBC (eight hours since re-build)
Price new: £43,930
Yours for: £30,000
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